As explained in the earlier post, there are several reasons for losing hair. And, hair loss treatments are based on the same age-old principle; “Remove the cause and the problem goes away.”
There are different types of hair loss and treatments are effective in all forms. Treating hair loss caused by advancing age and genetic reasons is difficult. However, certain remedies do help and work effectively to cure you of the hair fall problems.
You are losing hair at an early age (during your teenage or your twenties)
You are losing hair very fast
You have pain, itching, or inflammation of the scalp
You are a woman and have male pattern baldness
Your beard and/or eyebrows develop bald spots
Along with hair loss, you are experiencing other health problems such as weight gain, muscle weakness, and fatigue.
Treatments of Hair Loss in Men
As mentioned above, when you start working on stopping hair fall, you must first rule out the various pathological reasons that cause hair loss. You do this by undergoing various investigations and treatments, which your doctor will advise. This will help to pinpoint the cause if any.
Once you eradicate the disease or health condition causing hair loss, it will stop your hair fall and your hair will start growing back.
Therefore, that leaves us with hair fall due to the causes of advancing age and genetic factors. Read the various hair loss treatments stated below and the steps you should follow to control hair problems due to these causes.
The treatments consist of medications, hair transplant surgery, and laser therapy.
1) A well-balanced and nutritious diet
A nourishing diet is something you should always stick to. The deficiency of nutrients like iron, proteins, vitamins, and minerals do cause hair fall. This is an important part of the cure. This post about diet for hair loss gives complete details.
2) Medicines and Drugs for Hair Loss
Minoxidil: (Brand name: Rogaine, Loniten)
Minoxidil or Rogaine was the first drug approved by the FDA for treating male pattern baldness. Its benefits accrue from the fact it not only stops hair loss but also regrows new hair.
Minoxidil hair loss pills were previously used for the treatment of hypertension and it was found that more than 70% of users developed new hair growth.
They are, therefore, used in lower doses in hair loss conditions. However, due to their side effects of increased heart rate and breathing problems in users, only its topical application is preferred.
Rub 2% topical application of minoxidil into the scalp twice a day. It works by increasing the size of the hair follicle and dilating the blood vessels of the scalp leading to increased blood, nutrition, and oxygen supply to the hair follicle. This produces a bigger strand of hair.
This is one of the hair loss solutions, which does generate new hair growth in 50% of the people.
However, continue to maintain its application because stopping the application will stop hair growth. It is effective only on the frontal and top parts of the scalp.
The American Hair Loss Association recommends the drug for hair loss to those people who have not responded favorably to finasteride. It does not, however, recommend this drug as the first line of treatment.
Finasteride: (Brand name: Proscar, Propecia )
Finasteride is an oral drug for hair loss available on prescription. It is recommended for use in men and postmenopausal women only because it is known to cause congenital deformities in newborns.
It was used in the treatment of non-malignant or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and during its use, it was found to increase hair growth.
In 1997, the FDA of the United States approved Finasteride for use in male pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia in men.
Studies found it to be effective in more than 90 % of the users and when effective, it should be continued indefinitely, as stopping it, will stop the hair growth.
It acts by inhibiting the DTH hormone, which is known to cause degeneration of hair follicles typically in genetically prone people.
Taking Finasteride orally every day can lower DTH levels by as much as 60%.
The American Hair Loss Association recommends finasteride as the first line of treatment for men to treat male pattern baldness.
It is used, many times, in conjunction with Rogaine.
Dutasteride (Brand name: Avodart)
Dutasteride acts on the same principle as Propecia but is more effective. It is still under trial and the FDA of the United States has still to approve it for the treatment of hair loss.
Retin A
Retin A is a topical application for the scalp and is used in conjunction with Minoxidil. It enhances the effect of Minoxidil and removes the sebum from the scalp. Sebum is an oily secretion of the sebaceous gland present in the skin, which blocks the hair follicles.
Sebum contains DTH and Retin A does not allow DTH to interact with the hair follicles and destroy them.
3) Hair transplant
Hair transplant is a sure shot therapy for hair loss wherein the hair follicles from the back and sides of the scalp are removed and transplanted to the bald areas of the scalp. The hair that is removed for the transplant typically grows back within a year.
4) Low-level laser therapy for curing hair loss
Some studies claim that using the laser for hair loss helps to promote hair growth by stimulating the hair follicles.
Low-level laser therapy is also called by other names such as red light therapy, cold laser, soft laser, biostimulation, and photobiomodulation.
It is a safe form of light therapy used to treat the genetic forms of hair loss in both men and women.
The ideal candidates for low-level laser therapy are men and women with thinning hair or baldness caused by hereditary or genetic reasons.
Low-level laser therapy is indicated for the promotion of hair growth in males who have Norwood Hamilton Classifications of IIa to V and in females who have Ludwig scale ((Savin) I-4, II-1, II-2,
Low-level laser therapy acts by increasing blood flow in the scalp and stimulating the metabolism in the telogen follicles, resulting in the growth of anagen hair. Anagen is the growth phase of the hair.
